Mechanical breakdown



April 3, 1945. w. H. BEANE MECHANICAL BREAK DOWN Filed Feb. 8, 19.43 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 I ATTDRNE April 3, 1945. W H BEANE MECHANICAL BREAK DOWN Filed PeriI 8, 1943 4 sheets-sheets /NL/ENTU M/HEEA//. EV

nTmR/VE Patented pr. 3, 1945 UNlTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MECHANICAL BREAKDOWN Walter' H. Beane, Klamath Falls, Greg. 4 .Appncanen February s, 1943,'seria1 Ne.y 475,168

' 2 Claims.

This invention relates generally tothe manufacture and handling of lumber, and particularly to a mechanicalbreakdown. i .i

The main object of this invention lis to co struct a mechanical breakdown by means of which a stack of lumber canbe unstacked and the boards thereof delivered separately, or in tiers, to a conveyor orto a planer or other machine.

The second object is to construct a machine of the class described which will easily and effectively unstack lumber with the saving of a con-` siderable amount of labor ordinarily employed in such operations.

The third object Ais toconstruct a machine of the class described in which the operation is positively performed and in which the tendency to become inoperative is reduced to the minimum amount.

The fourth object is to construct a special form of mechanism which will satisfactorily perform this operation in which there is a low power requirement.

The fifth object is to construct a breakdown which adapts itself to the transfer of the package onto the breakdown from the end as shown, or

" down in which a varied amount of tilt can be obtained. For example, in order rto handle rough lumber, more tilt is requiredto make the board slide from the load, and with surfaced lumber, less tilt is required, any excessive tilt being objectionable.

These and other objects are accomplished in the manner set forth in the following specification, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary, vertical section taken along the line kI--l in Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a plan of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken along the line 3--3 in Fig. 2 showing a stack on the' breakdown in an upright position.

Fig. 4 is similar to Fig. 3 .but showing the stack tilted and partially broken down.

Fig. 5 is a front elevation of a lift arm.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring in detail to the drawings there is shown a set of foundation piers l upon which are erected the posts ll which support the cross ties l2 upon which` are mounted the stringere I3 which support the floor joists i4 of the deck I in which is formed an opening I5. i

Mounted on the cross ties l2 are the live rolls l1 whose shafts i8 journal in the bearings I9 and are provided with the sprocket wheels around which pass the drive chain 2l. Idler i sprockets 22 are provided to maintain a driving scribed is to receive a package 28 from a carrier, crane or other source, and carry it by means of the iioor chains 26 to the rolls l1. As the first bunk 21 passes over the ends of the floor chains 26, it drops clear of the package 28 which projects over the first roll lland is finally transported to a point near the middle of the row of rolls l1.

Underneath the deck l5 is placed a foundation 30 upon which rests the upright posts 3l whose inclined uppermost portions 32 are supported by the braces 33 from the deck l5. A shaft 34 journals in the members 32 and carries the eccentrics 315 which are adjustably positioned bymeans of a hand lever 36 secured to the shaft 34 and capable of being held in a xed position by a quadrant 31 and spring latch 38.

Mounted on the upright posts 3| are the bearings 39 on which are tiltably hinged the channel member guides 40 whose upper ends 4I are provided with the arms 42 along which the lumber 29 slides as it is unstacked. Each guide 40 can stop against an eccentric 35 when the guide is in an inclined position.

Associated with each guide 40 is a knee 43 whose top side 44 is normal to the guide 4U and parallel with the arm 42. Each knee 43 is provided with rolls 45 to reduce the friction. Each knee 43 has attached thereto an elongated lift arm 46 provided with stops 41 and 48 which engage the lever 49 of a toggle switch 50 which controls the motor 5l of the transmission SI-A, whose power take-off shaft 52 is provided with a sprocket wheel 53 whose chain 54 passes around a sprocket wheel 55 secured on the shaft 56 which journals in the bearings 5'1.

The lower end 58 of each lift arm 46 is attached to a roller chain 59 which passes over the sprocket wheel 60 also secured on the shaft 56.

A counterweight 6| is attached to the lower end of the chain 59 within the well 62. The counterweights 6| are suiiicient to support the load of the knees 43 and their attached parts, .and if desired, a portion of the load 29.

For the purpose of illustrating a typical form of application, there is shown the screw rolls 63 which are supported by the frames 54 which also supports the guide 65. The screw rolls 63 move the pieces of lumber 29 toward the guide f 64 and toward the planer or otherV machine (not l bunks 21 and rests on the oor chains 26, and

that these are being operated in the direction indicated on the drawings, and that they nally are entirely supported by the live rolls IT, the operator then causes the rolls I1 and the floor chains 2S to stop by manipulating a switch (not shown), which controls the operation of the iioor chains 26. Then by depressing the foot operated switch 5t, he causes the motor 5| to operate in a direction to lower the weight 6| andv raise the lift arms 46, carrying with them the knees 43 and their load of boards 29 as shown in Fig. 5, during which time the various tiers of boards 29 slide down along the arms 42 and are carried by the screw rolls 63 to the planer.

If the relationship between the angularity of the arms 42 and the smoothness of the nish on the boards 29 is such that they will not slide freely, the operator, either or both, increases the angularity by adjusting the cam 35 or by interrupting the action of the motor 5| in order to produce a shake or jar to the lift.

When the lift arms 46 reach their uppermost position, that is when the last tier of boards 29 has moved down across the arm 42, then the arm 48 trips the switch and stops the motor 5|. In order to lower the knee 43, the operator must now depress the button 61 thereby reversing the motor 5| until the stop 41 actuates the switch lever 49 and again stops the motor 5|,

It is a well known fact that the arts contain many elevating and tilting mechanisms. It is therefore not my intention to cover such devices broadly, but I do intend to cover only such forms and modifications thereof as fall fairly within the appended claims.

I claim:

1. The combination of a tiltable guide, a knee slidably mounted on said guide having its load engaging side normal thereto, a lift arm attached to said` knee on one side of its center of gravity away from the direction of tilt, means for actuating said lift arm whereby the rst portion of its lifting action will tilt said guide and the further movement of said lift arm will cause said knee to move upwardly along said guide.

2. An unstacker for lumber consisting of a tiltable upright guide hinged at its lower end, a knee slidably mounted on said guide and normal thereto, a lift arm attached to said knee between the unguided side and center of the knee, a counterweighted actuator for said lift arm, and means for operating said actuator.

WALTER H. BEANE. 

